Alastair Ulke

A Northampton student has been hailed a hero having helped save the life of a pensioner having a suspected heart attack at a bus stop.

Fred Whitworth, an 18-year-old student at Northampton College, in Booth Lane, stepped in after spotting the 79-year-old man in distress in St Gregory’s Road, The Arbours.

The 18-year-old student from Daventry learnt first aid as part of his Public Services course.

The man was slumped by a fence and although a passer-by had rung for an ambulance she didn’t know the address.

But Fred, an aspiring firefighter from Daventry, stepped in to ring 999 and explain the situation in full, using his first aid training to monitor the man’s condition.

He said: “Instinct kicked in and I knew I had to help. I could tell his speech was slurring and although his face hadn’t drooped at all he was clenching his left hand. I sat him down and tried to keep him calm.

“I knew we had a defibrillator in college so I walked him and his wife, who has dementia and was understandably panicking, over to the main building to be nearer the first aiders and our equipment.

“I waited for the ambulance and kept them informed. He was then treated by the paramedics and taken to hospital. I haven’t heard any more since but hopefully he is on the road to recovery."

Fred, a public services student who learnt first aid as part of his course, is hoping to become a full-time firefighter and is confident his experience will help prepare him for other emergencies he faces in the future.

Lieutenant Colonel Tony Turner, a lecturer in uniformed public services at Northampton College, said: “By doing what he did, Fred probably saved this man’s life. It’s superb that Fred had the confidence to deal with the situation from the training given to him. He’s a real hero.”

Northampton College is keen to track down the pensioner as Fred would like to find out more about his recovery.